The Thing That Should Not Be
by AdrianPetersonFan113
Summary: A document on the first of Harven Reuben's, the champion of Cyrodill, first actual quest. Harven is just one of the charecters that change the history of Cyrodill.


The Thing That Should Not Be

Sergeant Major Legarius,

This is SSgt Kanary's report on the subject codename "Mountain

Frost". Operation "Mountain Frost" was started the 7th of Heartfire,

when a civilian with connections to the Blades was found by a legion

patrol posted on the gold road found civilian Harven Reuben

unconscious one click south of Wenyon Priory. Reuben was quote:

"covered with slime and bleeding from multiple wounds that seemed to

centralize on the chest above the heart.

Reuben was moved to the Imperial City Legion Barracks for rest.

He came to consciousness on the 8th, remembering everything save

how he got there.

We gave him two days to rest and recover. On the 10th we

brought him to the interrogation room for answering questions.

Reuben began back on Frost Fire 29th. He was staying at

Wenyon Priory a week after performing classified information. We

tried to get more out of him, but resident at Wenyon Priory Jauffree

objected showing the signature of the Grandmaster of the Blades that

the information was classified, but he said it did have something to do

with the Emperor's, the Gods bless his soul, assassination.

Reuben said he was at the local tavern in Chorrol known as the

"Gray Mare" for supper and bringing food back to Wenyon priory when

an female Argonian named Dar-Ma came and introduced herself to

him. He said they talked for a short while, and she left and Reuben

went back to Wenyon Priory for six days. He ventured into two caves

close to town, while on the second one he contracted the disease

Bloodlung, which causes chronic headaches, stuffed nose, and

vomiting blood.

He was afflicted for three days, and went to the healers at the

chapel of Stendarr in Chorrol, after, due to the severity of the sickness,

Prior of Wenyon Priory, Maborel declared he could no longer be of

assistance. After visiting the chapel, Reuben went to the Gray Mare for

lunch.

The publican of the Gray Mare passed on the rumor of Dar-Ma's

disappearance. Reuben was upset, and was told if he wanted to help,

he was to go to Northern Goods, where Dar-Ma lived with her mother,

Seed-Neeus.

After visiting with Seed-Neeus, Reuben learned that two days

prior, Seed-Neeus was ill, and Dar-Ma took her paint "Buttercup" to

make the delivery to a village south of Chorrol named Hackdirt.

Hackdirt is a small community with no more then a dozen

people, according to witnesses. Several years ago, Hackdirt was the

target of operation "Silver Vase", which, is also, classified information

that only the citizens and soldiers that were there recall, but are all

under level 10 security and cannot see villagers due to sudden lapses

of violent psychosis, displaying symptoms of rabies. The overseer of

the operation committed suicide two years ago.

Reuben asked around Chorrol about Hackdirt, and learned that

it used to be a successful mining community. He then learned that the

legion was called in several years ago, and that half the village was

burnt down. A report came from an Altmer named Honditar, saying that

the residents became harsh after dark.

Reuben said that he got his supplies for the trip, and for the

residents at Wenyon Priory, and went back to the small community.

He said he had brought up the subject numerous times while

there, but Jauffree quickly warned him off every time. Reuben said that

the desperation in Jauffree's eyes and voice concerned him, but

Reuben still wanted to follow through with his actions.

The following morning, Reuben left Wenyon Priory on his paint,

headed south, and found a path that led him to Hackdirt. Reuben

reported that Hackdirt was a burnt ruin from a distance, but, after

getting closer, he saw that there were some buildings that had been

rebuilt from the rubble.

Upon entering the small town, he noted that he was instantly

treated hostile. Reuben quotes: "I got a bad feeling about the place as

soon as I saw it. Before letting myself known I was there, I circled the

community several times to get a layout of the land, in case a quick

escape was needed.

"I then entered by leading the Nag, (Reuben's Paint), through

some burnt rubble. Every person that set eyes on me immediately

began scowling.

"I am the outgoing type, or so I am told, so I went up to people

who were just wandering around with a smile, told them my name, and

offered to shake their hand. One of the women there told me to get my

hand away from her, or she'd spit on it! After that, I looked for the inn,

Moslin's Inn. Immediately afterwards, I could feel somebody watching

me. I turned around, and a man in a huntsman vest immediately acted

like he was walking away."

Reuben said he went into the inn, and was once again greeted

menacingly. Reuben rented a room, put his belongings away, and

came back down. Reuben then asked the innkeeper about an

Argonian woman named Dar-Ma.

Reuben said that the innkeeper was obviously lying when he

said: "I don't know no Dar-Ma. Haven't seen me an Argonian around

here in who knows how long. Kinda forgot what the hell they even look

like."

Reuben then proceeded to Moslin's Dry Goods, the store Dar-

Ma was marked to deliver to. The owner, Reuben reported, put up a

better act then the innkeeper, but there was still something wrong with

her story. The owner replied to Reuben after he told her she was

looking for Dar-Ma: "Huh, well that makes two. Young Argonian swit

was supposed to be here days ago. Now you tell me, how the hell am I

supposed to run a business like this without merchandise?"

Reuben reported that he knew the villagers were hiding

something from him then, and wandered around the small town,

conversing with the inhabitants, asking door to door for Dar-Ma.

He said he heard somebody use the threat of having the

Brethren deal with him. Once he inquired, all of the locals agreed that

they didn't like outsiders.

After wandering about, Reuben said he found a paint quarter

horse in a burnt house behind Moslin's Dry Goods. After confronting

the owner about the animal, the owner declared that the horse was

hers. When Reuben then asked her about the Brethren, she made a

comment saying that Reuben would get to know the Brethren: "real

quick-like".

Shortly after leaving the store, Reuben reported seeing

something off in the forest. Reuben went to investigate, but was

attacked by four men showing signs of rabies, and had eyes much

larger then normal. Reuben defeated his attackers, but took a hard

blow to the shoulder.

Reuben went back into town, and a resident named Jiv Hiriel

approached him, telling him to meet him at his home at sunset.

Reuben went to his room in the inn, noticing the innkeeper

sneering at him while he held his shoulder while he went up the stairs.

On his way to his room, Reuben reported seeing a door opposite

of his torn off its hinges. Reuben went to investigate, and reported

finding signs of a struggle. After searching the room, he found a small

book that read on the cover: "Dar-Ma's Diary".

Upon reading it, Reuben said he learned that Dar-Ma was

hearing noises outside her room late at night. Reuben then confronted

the innkeeper about the diary.

He changed his story, in saying that he remembered an

Argonian woman. But he didn't remember what happened to her.

Reuben rested in his room, but was attacked by another of the

"Brethren". After fighting off his attacker, Reuben went to Hiriel's

house.

Hiriel explained to Reuben that the citizens of Hackdirt

worshipped "The Deep Ones". There is no record of "The Deep Ones"

in the Arcane University, or any other known major repositories of

knowledge.

Hiriel gave Reuben a key, saying that it would unlock one of the

trap doors around Hackdirt that led into the tunnels.

Reuben went into the tunnels, and found Dar-Ma in a cage with

iron bars. He freed Dar-Ma, but told her to get back to Chorrol on her

own when he heard a noise from across the cavern.

Reuben quotes: "There was a rumble on the other side of the

cavern, and I gave Dar-Ma the signal to get the hell out of there. She

left, and I drew my weapon, a fine steel blade. I slowly moved across

the room, when the entire side of the cavern wall just collapsed.

Nothing pushed it, it appeared. Once all the dust settled, all I could

see in the darkness beyond were to huge yellow eyes staring at me.

"I turned and ran as fast as I could. I ran for my life. It scared the

shit out of me. I'm not one to get scared easily, but that…"

Reuben states that he remembers nothing afterwards. I have

dealt with many stories of suppressed memories, and knew I had to

approach this part slowly and easily.

I asked him if he, in his own words could describe what the

creature was. He looked me right in the eyes. I have never had

anybody look at me like that. It was a look of complete seriousness.

He answered me; his bottom lip quivering uncontrollably, "What

was it? Easy. It was the thing that should not be."

Colonel Ranyold

Hey guys and ladies, hope you enjoyed the crappy story. Hit me

back on what you think about it! Just no cussing or anything of the

sort, please. Oh, and the title is based on Metalica's "The Thing That

Should Not Be" off of their "Master Of Puppets". (Great album!)


End file.
